What Kind of Wire for a Bracelet?

If you’re just starting out, I suggest copper wire in 24 gauge. It’s inexpensive, easy to find and makes a very pretty viking knit bracelet in either single or double knit.

My next suggestion would be brass wire. It’s a little stiffer to manipulate than copper, but still makes for a nice piece of jewelry.

My third suggestion for just starting out would be one of the colored artistic wires — basically enamel coated copper. Why is this my 3rd choice?

The artistic wire can scratch very easily in the course of making the viking knit chain. If the color is light and shiny, the scratches might not be very apparent. But for a darker color, you will eventually notice the wearing away of the colored coating.

So if you go the artistic wire route, choose a bright shiny (metallic-looking) color and you will probably be OK. And after I said all that, I do use artistic wire for seasonal jewelry (red and green for Christmas, metallic pastels for Spring, etc.). I just don’t use it for bracelets I plan to wear day in, day out.

(FYI, I’ll be testing a new kind of colored wire in the near future; I’ll let you know how that fares, if it’s any better.)

Naturally, you can use silver (fine, sterling, argentium) or gold (karat or gold-filled) wire; they make beautiful bracelets! But they are best reserved for when you are more experienced.

That takes care of the wire you’ll need for your bracelet. Stay tuned for the draw plate information!

Directions for viking knit chain are fairly straightforward, but maybe not easy to grasp at first. A video tutorial, free instructions and a more comprehensive tutorial await you!

What is Viking Knit Chain?

Example of a Viking Knit Bracelet, Single Knit

First, what is viking knit chain, and what does it look like? You can see an example in the photo to the right as well as in my viking knit gallery, so let’s quickly go over what is viking knit.

Viking knit is a wire chain consisting of loops. The loops connect together to form a tubular chain, which can then be made into jewelry.

Viking knit is normally done in either single knit or double knit forms. Triple knit is also sometimes done with very fine wire.

The photo you see is a single knit chain. Normally I might draw the chain down farther for a viking knit bracelet, but I liked the lacy look of this particular piece.

To make viking knit chain, you need a dowel, a draw plate and wire of a suitable gauge (usually 24 or 26 gauge).

Directions for Viking Knit Chain

When it comes to directions for viking knit chain, I have three ways for you to learn to make it. The first two ways are free, the third will cost you a small amount (but is comprehensive).

First is the video instruction for viking knit. It’s a nice overview and shows how the loops are made.

The second is a free online tutorial that has some good photos. It teaches single knit viking chain.

The third is a tutorial I wrote in response to requests. It covers single knit, double knit, wire, using a draw plate, a project and more!

So my suggestion to you is look at the two free directions for viking knit first. If they answer all your questions, great! That’s all you need to know to make viking knit jewelry.

If, however, you want more in-depth instruction (with lots of real-life photos), then I suggest you go ahead and purchase the ebook tutorial for $10.

All set? Here’s the video, which teaches using the allen wrench and bench vise method. Directly below the video are the links to the free instructions as well as my own tutorial.

And here’s my very own tutorial in ebook form, teaching viking knit with a simple dowel (no bench vise needed). This ebook is for you if you’re having trouble following the above instructions, or if you just want lots (and I do mean lots)more information! Not to mention tons of up-close photos.